Improved folding oe iroiifg-table



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MPETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D C Y Letters Patent No. 78,642, dated June 9, 1868.

IMPROVED I'OLDING OR IRONINGTABLE- @La tlgtbuls maar it in tipa teitet prima ma mating @mit at tige sana.

TO ALL PERSONS TO' WHOM THESE PRESENTS 'SHALLCOMEr v Be it known that I, MIG. BR'IGGS, of Boston, .county of Suiolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and improved Portable Folding Table or Ironing-Board; and do hereby declare the following tobea full, clear, and exact description thereof, due reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and in which-'- i Figure 1 is a vertical andlongitndinal section, i Figure 2a side view, and

Figure 3 a transverse section ofit in a folded table. This invention has for its objectto provide'a folding table or bench, which, while answering asa substantial and-steady support for. the work of variouskinds to be performed upon it, is capable ofrbeing folded and reduced in bulkiin such manner as to occupy but little of the space required forit when in lan extended or Working state.

The invention consists of two rectangular boards or leaves, hingedv together in such manner as to'fold or double upon'one another, the' outer ends of such'leavcs having double legs pivoted to them in such uianner as to serve as supports for the combined leaves when in anextended state, andto .becapable of being folded or turned over upon the leaves, when in a. closed state, essentially in mann-er and for the purpose as hereinafter v explained.

By referring to the accompanying drawings, it will be -see'n that the two leaves beforefmentioned are designated by the letters A A', such leaves being hinged together at one end, as shown at b, by whichnmeans they may be folded inward upon one another, the hinges being screwed to cross-bars a a extended across the inner ends of the leaves.

c c and cZ d denote two pairs ofcross-frames, pivoted together at their upper or outer extremities, the inner ones, e and 0l, being in turn pivoted to the under side'o'f the'outer ends of the leaves A Aand all beingl nearly equal in length with such leaves, in order to support 'themrat a proper height above the-floor.

The object in pivoting the cross-sections together at top is to allow of theirvdiverging from such point for the purpose of creating a lirm support for the extended leaves, a hook, e o re, being applied to each frame in a suitableposition for locking the .two together.

Furthermore, I apply to the under side of each leaf, A or A, a swivelling arm or stop,f orf', which, when A,

the cross-frames or .legs are in'an unfolded or extended state, are to be turnedup in contact with such legs and serve as a brace to retain such legs firmly in place, and make a substantial and steady table or bench ofthe leaves A A. i

yThe outer extremity of one ofthe leaves A A has hinged to it a narrow auxiliary leaf, g, thAconnection of the two being such that when the apparatus is in an extended state, the upper surface of such' auxiliary leaf isv le'vcl with'the under side of the primary leaves.

The auxiliary leaf, when the apparatus is extended into the form of a table, forms a shelf'for supporting a dat-iron, starch-bowl, or other household-utensil, when the apparatus is in a folded state, serving as one end of the case, into lwhich the structure is'contracted, the cross-bars a a', before mentioned, serving as the opposite end of such case. i

When applying the extended table for the purposes of a press-board, it'becomes necessary to detach one of the leaves A A from its cross-frames or supporting-legs. l

To accomplish this, I apply the hinges of one pair of such legs to abar, t, and I insert this bar, t, in to a recess, t', made in the under side of one of the leaves, and near the end of the same, the bar being retained in place within its recess, by a pin, j, passed through it and the end l of the leaf, or in any suitable way. v

The auxiliary leafg is to be provided with a suitable'spring, Z, for locking it to the end of the leaf A when the apparatus is folded.v v

When it becoznes necessary'to use the table as a press-board, the pin j is to be removed, the-leaf A or A to be detached from its legs and raised above them, and the dress or shirt to be irone'd extended about such leaf, which is then to be returned to place and secured-toits leg.

1 ofthe aoconipatnyih'g drawings shows thedevicein an extended state, and i'g.2 in o. folded or reduced state, as tl1c r opere,tionoi` changing itfroin one position tothe other will rendilyez'plain itself to intelligent pexf- Y' v sons. From the above description, further explanation upon this point is notconsidered necessary. The small compass in which the folded apparatus is compressed will recommend itlto many persons where an ordinaryiztble caunot'be kept. o To 'ladies residing at hotels-or incontraeted upnrtmentsQas well-as for persons livingfin small houses, its utility und practical value will'be alt once understood.`

Foirpapephnngers use, it will be valuable, constituting, asit does, a, perfect table or bench when extended, andisnving the necessity of huntingnbout for barrels or other objects upon which to place the present eumbous boards.. I v

I claim es my invention, and desire' toseeure by Letters Patent of the United States-- The apportus or device bove described, consisting of the leaves A A', twin cross-fra'uies or llegs c ye' d d',

and auxiliary leaf or shelf g, the legs being piyotedto each otherand to thelenves, a'ndlprovided-with the stops for f', end' -the whole operating together in manner and for thepurpose as herein shotvn and described.v

1 also elaim applying one pair of cross-frames or supports to the leaf by means ot' the bar h andpinf or its equivalent, essentiallyin manner ond for the purpose as explained. i

. y M. G, BRIGGS.. Witnesses: v 5

FRED. vGenius, EDWARD GRIFFITH. 

